Slow Train Coming

The social infrastructure does not inspire faith among people

- Amarnath K. Menon

ASSESSING AND ACTING on the aspirations and demands of a wide social mosaic is a daunting task in India today, for it involves finding the right balance between many differing mindsets. Suspicions are fuelled quickly, even when the issues concerned aren’t that provocative. Technology is a contributor in this, in as far as being a vehicle for fake news, which in turn creates schisms and triggers violence. Is it any wonder, then, that the latest MOTN survey shows that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are still treated with some suspicion—the percentage that believes that they can be hacked and manipulated for political advantage has not gone up but it hasn’t gone down either.

With less than a year to go for the general elections, opinion is divided sharply on whether the BJPled NDA government has lived up to its ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikaas’ promise. On infrastructure, it seems to have done well; over 40 per cent respondents feel rail and road connectivity, particularly national highways, has improved in the past four years—a vital catalyst in propelling economic growth.

However, there are several other serious concerns, education for one. Reposing faith in the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) after the question paper leaks this year has not been easy. Only a little over half of those polled felt there was fair play in the examination system, indicating the need for reform as well as tighter regulations. This despite the feeling that quality of education, both in schools and colleges, has improved, particularly in the past year with the plan to revamp higher education, give private varsities a greater say and replacing the outmoded University Grants Commission with another entity.